Attachment for automobiles.



F. L. HEYER.

ATTACHMENT F'on AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 4. 1916.

1349,396. Patented Dec. 11,1912

2 SHEETS-SBEET L.

WITNESSES; m VEN ATTORNEY F. L. HEYER.

ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED 00124, 1916.

Patented Dec. 11, 1917.

2 SHEE'lS-SHEET 2;

i n a INVENTOR. WITNESSES.-

. W V BY UNITED STATES PATENT v,

FBIEDRICHL. HEYER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

3 ATTACHMENT FOB AUTOMOBILES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that FRIEDRICH L. Hanna, a,

citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois,- has invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Attachments, for Automobiles, of which the following is a spe'cificaetion.

The essential object of this invention'is to provide an attachment forautomobiles and similar vehicles whereby some of the circuits necessaryto the starting and igniting systems or other operating parts arepredeterminedly opened, thus obstructing operation of the vehicle, whichcircuit or circuits are adapted to be closed only upon propermanipulation of a key with which the owner of the vehicle, of course,will be provided.

In the drawings, and by way of example, two circuits are shown, one ofwhich in cludes a battery and wires leading to and from the ignitionsystem. The second circuit mustbe provided with a suitable source ofcurrent supply (not shown) and extends 26- 450 and from the self-starterof the machine.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of an apparatusembodying the invention; Fig. 2 is an interior view showing the movableparts in the positions in which both the starting and igniting circuitsare broken;

Fig. 3 is an interior view showing the movable parts in anotherposition, the circuits being brokembut part of the ignition system beingclosed; Fig. 4 is an interior view 85 showing the parts in the positionassumed when both of the circuits are closed; Fig. 5

is a section on the line 5 5, Fig. 4; Fig. 6

is an interior view of the removable plate which forms part of theouter'casing and which covers over or conceals the operating partsshownin Figs. 2, 3, and 4; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, the partsbeing shown in elevation rather than in section; Fig. 8 is a detailshowing the mechanism ,45 for breaking the ignition circuit; and Fig.

9 is a perspective detailed view ofon'e of the movable parts shown inFig. 8.

The operating parts are all contained within a shell or casing 1preferably made of metal, and provided with lugs 2 perforated at 3, bywhich the casing andthe parts contained therewithin may be securelyfastened to the front dashboard of the automobile. -An annular disk 4'of insulation provides '55 suitable base to which most of the conductingand moving parts are secured, and, for

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec 11 191 '1'.

Application filed October 4, 1916. Serial No. 123,634.

the purpose of additional safety, a second insulating member 5 may beprovided intermediate the metallic casing 1 and the insulating base 4.

From the positive pole 6 of the battery or generator 7, the wire 8 runsto the bindingpost 11 which is secured to the conducting" plate 12. Aspring-contact 13 depends from member 12, while a similar spring-contact1a is connected to conducting plate 15 provided with the binding-post16. Upon the opposite side of the device are similar spring-contacts 17and 18 connected, respectively, with conducting-plates 19 and 20 provided with the binding-posts 21 and 22.

Screws 23 secure the stud or boss 24 upon the insulating base l, and thestem. 25 is adapted to move vertically through a suitable perforation 26in said boss 24;. At the bottom of the stem 25 and extending sub-'stantially at right'angles thereto is a knifeswitch formed of a strip ofinsulation 27,

on each side of which are contact plates 28 and 29. The insulation 27 iswider than the contact surfaces 28 and 29, and when the parts are in theposition shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings the spring contacts 13, 14, 17,

and '18 will engage the insulating member 27 and thecircuit will bebroken, but when (by the means hereinafter described) the knife formedof the parts 27,28, and 29, is elevated or moved to the position ofFigs. 3 and 1, said springcontacts- 13 and 14 will engage the conductingmember 29, the spring-contacts 17 and 18 will engage the conductingmember .28, and, in that manner, the current will flow from the plate 12successively through the members 13, 29, and 14 to the plate 15 andbinding-post 16. At the same time the current will flow from the bindingpost 22 passing successively through members 22, 20, 18, 28, 17, and 19to the binding-post 21.-

The stem 25 is notched 0r slotted at 30,

and the U-shaped locking catch 31, which is fitted over the stud. orboss 24, is provided with the slot 32 through which the stem 25 isadapted to pass, aswell as with the web 33 which seats in the notch 30when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 8. A helical spring 34:is interposed betweenthe right hand end '(Flgs. 5 and 7) of the boss 24and the cross-arm-35 of the sliding catch 31, said helical spring 34being adapted to encircle a pin 36 which slides within the recess 37,said pin 36 being adapted to retain 3 35 spring-contact 45,

' v cates of the parts just described.

saidspring 34 in proper position. A-but ton 38 pro ects outwardly throuh a'perforation 39 formed in the removab e cover 40.

The stem 25 is encircled by a helical spring 5 v41 whichis disposedintermediate theboss 24 and the knife formed by the strips 27,28, and29.I

Assuming, for example, that the parts are in the position depictedin'Figs. 3, 4, and 8,

I it will be observed that if the operator presses upon the button 38,-the locking catch 31 will be forcedtoward the left in Figs. 5, 7, and 8,the web 33 will thereby be carried or pushed outof the notch 30, and thehelical spring 41 will quickly snap the stem are insulated'fromjcachother and the current cannot passdirectly from the conducting plate 1.2to the conducting plate 19, but the current must pass'throughthegen'erator or battery 7 as it travels from one of said plates to theother. i

to the binding-post 43, which is in suitable electrical connection-withthe plate44 and spring-contact 45. Another spring-contact 46," which isinv vertical alinement with the -with the binding-post 47 from which thewire 48 extends to one pole of the selfstarter. Upon the opposite sideof the device are thebinding-post 49, plate 50, springcontact 51,spring-contact 52, plate 53, and

binding-post 54, which are substantial dupli- The verticallyslidable'yoke'55 bears the downwardlydepending arms 56-and 57. Theconducting strip 58 is secured to said arm 56, being insulated therefromat 59, and said 'arm 58 carries theconducting fingers 60 and 7 61 whichengage, respectively, with the spring-contacts 45 and46 when the parts'9 are in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4,

but not when the parts are as'shown in Fig. 3. To the arm 57 is fasteneda conducting 'member 62-insulated at 63 and bearing com ductingfingers64- and 65 adapted to engage 55 the spring-contacts -51.-and 52.When the parts are as shown in electrical connection is establishedbetween the spring-contacts 45 and 46 on one side and 51 and 52 ontheother, whereas, when the arts areas shown in Fig. 3, the circuitsare. broken.

The slidable yoke 55 carries a layer of insulation 66 which is adaptedto prevent electrical connection between said slidable yoke 65 55 andthe knife-switch formed of the insu- '71, which, of course, anappropriately-shaped key fitting into the keyhole 72, willv move .thesliding plate 68.

thereby, the

74 are'old and well known in the qrt'and will open a part of theignition cylinder 7 3 From the binding-post 16 a wire 42 leads is-inelectrical connection otherwise, a circuit the revolving c vThisforcesthe Figs. 2' and 4, therefore,

"the sliding yoke 55 is bolted orriveted plate '68 which passes guide69. The. lower 8.567 to the vslidin through the slotte I edge of theplate able cams (not shown-in the drawings) are provided wherebyrevolution of the cylinder can be turned only by from the position ofFig. 2 to the position 68 is beveled, and suitof. Fig. 3, or the.reverse.. The rotat ng cylinder 71 the tumblers which are actuated fixedcylinder7 3, and the shell no particular novelty is claimed therefor,but the parts must be so arranged that the key can be withrawn from thekeyhole 72 only when the sliding yoke 55 is at thelowest point of travel(Figs. 2 and 4). The outer casin' perforation 'eing of just the rightsize and in the right position to fit over the fixed and a plate 76.carrying the pin 77, which passes through a suitable perforation 78 inthe casin 40, normally closes the perforation 75. Said pin 77 iscarefully insulated at 79, but is in electrical connection with the pin80. A pair of spring-contacts 81 and 82 insulated from-each other andconnected, respectively, to binding-posts 83 and 84 are adapted to beengaged by the pin and electrical connection established between thesamewhenever the pivoted late 76 is swung from the full line position-Fig. 1) toward or to the dotted line position. From the binding-posts 49and 54,- wires 86 and extend to theself-starter, and the wire 87 isconnected to the binding-post 22, w it being understood, of course, thateither through the framework of the machnie, or is completed between thewires 48 and 87.

40' is perforated" at 75,'said" The operation of the device is asfollows:

Assuming that the-different parts are in the positions depicted in Fig.2, the operator inserts the key in the keyhole 72 and rotates slidingyoke 55 upwardly in carries the same to the position and as the slidingyoke 55 thus the knife formed of the Fig; 2' and. of Fig. 3, moves itbears upon linder 71'in. one "direction.

members 27, 28, and 29 and forces same to the position of Fig. 3. Whenthe parts are in the position of Fig. 3, the current can ass inanobvious manner from the binding-pbst 11 through the members 12, 13, 29,1 4, 15, 16, 42,- 43,

and 44 as far as the spring v contact 45, but at that point there isa-break If, thereupon, the operator in the circuit.

in the opposite direction,

will turn the key position of Fig. 3 to the position of Fig. 4, thusestablishing electrical connection between the members-45fand 0 ne sldewill be carried from the (not shown) and 51 and 52 on the other, closingboth of the circuits. When the parts are in the position of Fig. 4-, theautomobile can operate because all of the circuits are closed, but whenthe parts are in the positions indicated in either Fig. 2 or Fig. 3, theautomobile cannot operate because one or both of the circuits will bebroken. If the operator wishes to break the circuitsand stop theoperation of the automobile, he can do so instantaneously by pressingupon the button 38 and forcing same toward the left (Figs. 5 and 7)because, in that manner, the web 33 is carried out of the notch 30, thuspermitting the helical spring 36 to uncoil and force the knife-switchdownwardly until the con tacts 13, 14, 17, and 18 engage the insulation27, thus breaking 'the ignition circuit and rendering the automobileinoperative. To

render the machine operative again, the operator must tiirn the rotatingcylinder in one direction so as to force the sliding-yoke 55 upwardlyand carrying all parts to the position of Fig. 3; then he must rotatethe cylinder '71 in the opposite direction carrying the sliding-yoke 55to the position of Fig. I, but leaving the members 27, 28, and 29 in theupward position to which they have been moved. When the sliding-yoke 55reaches the position of Fig. 4, electrical connection is establishedbetween the springcontacts 45 and 4&6 on one side of the device and 51and 52 upon the other, and thereby both of the circuits tor can,thereupon, withdraw the key and the machine will be ready for operation.

From the binding-posts 83 and 84, wires extend to the. horn, and, inthis manner, the horn will sound whenever the guard 76 is pushed to oneside so as to permit the key to be inserted in the keyhole 72. Thissounds a warning to the owner of the machine in case an unauthorizedperson shall endeavor to unlock the device. Sundry changes in thedetails of construction and operation of parts may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

-1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a knife,a pair of stationary contacts, said knife being adapted to engage bothof said contactsand establish electrical connection therebetween whensaid knife is in one position, a slidable yoke adapted to' force saidknife in one direction, a second pair of stationary contacts, a membercarried by the yoke and adapted when said yoke in one position toestablish elec'- trical connectien between said second-mentionedcontacts, and means cooperating with said yoke adapted to move said yokefrom one position to another position.

2. In a'device of the character described, the combination of a knifecomposed of an are closed. The opera-.

to engage said insulating member and a conducting member, a pair ofstationary contacts adapted to engage said insulating member when saidknife is in one position and adapted to engage said conducting memberwhen said knife is in another position, a slidable yoke adapted to forcesaid knife to the position where the conducting member carried thereuponengages said contacts, a second pair of stationary contacts, a membercarried by the yoke and adapted to establish electrical connectionbetween said second-mentioned contacts when said yoke is in oneposition, and key-operated means adapted to move said slidable yoke.

3. In a device of the character described," "the combination of a knifecomposed of an insulating member and a conducting member, a pair ofstationary contacts adapted to engage said insulating member when saidknife is in one position and adapted to engage said conducting memberwhen said knife is in another position, a slidable yoke adapted to forcesaid knife to the position where the conducting member carried thereupon engages said contacts, a second pair of stationary contacts, amember carried by the yoke and adapted to establish electricalconnection between said second-mentioned contacts when said yoke is inone position,

an insulating member intermediate said knife and said yoke, andkey-operated means adapted to move said yoke.

i. In a device of the character described, the combination of a knifecomposed of an insulating member and a conducting member, a pair ofstationary contacts adaptedto engage said insulating member when saidknife is in one position and adapted to engage said conducting memberwhen said knife is in another position, a slidable yoke adapted to forcesaid knife to the position where the conducting member carried thereuponengages said contacts, a second pair of stationary contacts, a membercarried by the yoke and adapted to establish electrical connectionbetween said second-mentioned contacts when said yoke is in oneposition, an insulating member intermediate said knife and said yoke,and key-operated means adapted to move said yoke, electrical connectionbeing established between said second-mentioned contacts when said yokeis removed from said knife.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a knifecomposed of an insulating member and a conducting member, a pair ofstationary contacts adapted knife is in one position and adapted toengage said conducting member when said knife is in another osition, aslidable yoke adapted to force said knife to the position where theconducting member carried there insulating member when said upon engagessaid contacts, a second pair thereupon engages the'first-mentionedcontacts and where the okeis in engagement with or close proz'cimlty tosaid knife.

6.In a device the combination engage both 'of said contacts andestablish electrical connection, therebe tween when said knife is in oneposition, a slidable yoke adapted to force said knife in one direction,

a second pair of stationary contacts, a membe:- carried by the yoke andadapted when said yoke is in one position toestablish electricalconnection between said second-mentioned contacts, 'a stem'upo'n whichsaid knife is mounted, a catch adapted to coof the character described,of a knife, a pair of stationary contacts, said knife being adapted tooperate with said stem and lock saidstem in one position, and means toactuate said stem and said knife when said stem is disengaged from saidcatch. v In a device of the character described, the combination of aknife, a pair of stationary contacts, said knife lbem adapted to en ageboth of said vcontacts an establish electrical connection ther'ebetweenwhen said knife is in one position, a slidable yoke adapted to forcesaid knife in one direction, a second pair of stationary contacts, a member carried by the yokeand adapted when said yoke is in one position toestablish electrical connection between said second-mentioned contacts,a mounting for said knife adapted to support the same,a'springcontrolled locking meansadapted to cooperate with said mountingand normally retain Said knife in one position, and meansto cause saidknife to move to another-{positionwhen said mounting member isdisengaged from said locking means.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FRIEDRICH L. HE YER.

